A place where I'll post up some thoughts and ideas - especially on literature in education, children's literature in general, poetry, reading, writing, teaching and thoughts on current affairs.

Friday, 10 April 2015

The Conjuror Returns and Arranges the Economy….

‘...Ladies and Gentlemenlet me show you something else.You know and I know that conjuringis often about distraction. We entice you to watch one thingwhile we are doing something else altogether.So if I say, I would like you to keep your eyeson what I’ve got here, you’re going to be suspicious, aren’t you?Well, I’ll try it all the same.It’s a deficit. I want you to watch the deficit.I am going to do all I possibly can to make it disappear. Now to do this I’m going to have to move some money around over here.Some people have a lot.Some people have hardly any.Will I be able to change that? So, now you’re confused.Are you watching the deficitor are you watching the money?Remember, if I don’t make the deficit disappearI will have failed.It’s getting a bit smaller...I promised I would...but, Ladies and Gentlemenit would be true to sayI haven’t made it disappear.Oh dear...But Ladies and Gentlemenwhat if that was all a ploy?While you were watching the deficithoping to catch me out,look what I did with the money over here.I took money from those with hardly anyand gave it to those who have a lot.And you didn’t notice,because you were watching the deficit.Well, Ladies and GentlemenI may not have made the deficit disappearbut I certainly moved the money.I call that a success.What do you think?Thank you very much.You’ve been a lovely audience.’